OK,Here we go. I was talking to a relative this evening and the topic of heavy equipment operators popped into the conversation. Now in the state of New Jersey you are going to have to be licensed to operate any type of equipment over so many pounds. There is a written exam and a practical skills exam. And the state will collect the monies.Also a drug screening is required prior to taking the tests. The equipment or owners of the equipment will not be able to get insurance unless the operators pass the written and practical skills tests.This is what happens when the government steps in. I am able to see there point but some operators may not be able to pass the written exam.Then they can be out of a job.Can you see what I am getting at? It just pisses me off so bad. Now suppose a small man like myself has a small mini excavator, say a John Deere 17. A person says they want some stumps cleared and a drainage ditch cleaned out.Now legally the state can stop him and order him to pay a hefty fine unless he has the certificate and the proof of insurance.OK, I am done rambling. This just pisses me off to know end. Could your state be next? Ken
Already exists in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and I was told two days ago that Connecticut had joined the party also. You also have to have a valid medical card in Mass and Rhode Island and bi annual "continuing education in Mass. It is just the the states following Massachusett's lead to vacuum more dollars from more people.
I'm surprised the West coast hasn't followed along too.
You folks really surprise me it was always like that in Russia, first of all one needs a car permit license , and then you go to kinda college where on 4 months course you study the excavator skills, then pass an exam and get your license, and it all gonna cost you aproximatly $ 1000. Do mean that any one who have a car permit was able to operate an excavator in USA it is MOD EDIT Easy on the language - CM1995
Do you have something outside of this forum that I can research to confirm what you are saying? Maybe a news link, a link to a state law or maybe an interview with someone on the news. Right now you are spreading what is known as hearsay. I'll have to see a verifiable fact before I believe something said on a web site about laws and government. I'll be indignant when I see it confirmed.
No sir at this time I do not have any information that you requested. I received the information from a family member. Her son is attempting to learn how to operate heavy equipment. These are the hoops that someone has to jump through. Crane operators in particular need to obtain state licensure. Requirements include certification through the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO). Applicants for this credential must be at least 18 years old, comply with the NCCCO's ethics code and substance abuse policy, successfully complete a series of written and practical exams and meet a series of physical requirements. https://totalequipmenttraining.com/practice-tests/nccco-practice-test/
I’ve been a union operator for 42 years in NJ.and haven’t heard anything about a license except for cranes
Well sir, you may have been grandfathered in.Read the second post in this thread.My nephew is now going to school for heavy equipment operator.The students are told that they will have to have a license to operate heavy equipment.The students must take a written exam and a particle to get the license from the state. No license, then no job.The applicant has to pay for the instruction and the state exams.
I ran a search for excavator license in the United States and found a bunch of stuff put out by schools in advertising materials but nothing in state laws accept for hoisting operations. Cranes are covered all over the country. Common construction equipment is not found in any search requiring state license. There are schools advertising requirements for using excavators for hoisting. One such school is advertising it here; https://www.masshoistingconed.com/online-training/class-2-excavating/ I was the president of an advisory committee at a local community college for a couple of years. Part of that involved a state recertification of their program. What I found out was that the faculty would regularly promote self serving half truths and outright lies about the requirements of the industry. The aim was to keep paying students in their classes as long as possible. That is one of the reasons I'm asking for something tangible to decide my level of anger at possible government encroachment or just another piece of fake news ginned up to incite the general population.
John, "What I found out was that the faculty would regularly promote self serving half truths and outright lies about the requirements of the industry. The aim was to keep paying students in their classes as long as possible. " This sounds like what I was told.Like you I have been searching the web for some sort of concrete evidence that states what I have been told and like you not at all successful. This is simply another lie concocted to strip students of their monies and feather the nests of those further up the chain. Ken
So if that is the case why did you initially post giving the impression that the licensing requirement was fact, as opposed to “this is what I’ve heard, has anyone heard the same”..?
Nige,would a lack of knowledge on my part satisfy you? BTW smart guy, read post 2.Have a good day sir.
On a somewhat related but opposite tangent, Texas is dropping the requirement for plumbers to be licensed - I think it's effective Sept 1. I'm a less is more guy in favor of limited government but I completely disagree with this for various reasons. By the way, call me for your plumbing needs after Sept 1. How about this for my slogan - "if it doesn't leak now, it will when the job is finished."
I had already read post #2, however my comment applied to your post, not one from a state at the other side of the country. You were posting as though it was fact and a done deal, not suppostion, when in fact it was anything but. I'm not trying to be smart here, simply mentioning that posting in the way your OP was written doesn't help anyone.
Nige, my mistake. I took your reply the wrong way.I am responsible for jumping the gun so to speak. However the family member that I spoke with is generally correct in the statements that I was provided.However it was stated some schools pave the way with outright lies.The untruths were provided to me and consequently passed onto this forum. So, what's it gonna be? Poison, knives,firearms,or the black capsule? BTW where is G.G.G.Enjoy the rest of the weekend, Ken
Is this like drilling a hole in the bottom of the boat to let the water out?
I had a guy fresh out of an operator school couldn't touch dirt and wanted a job said he had a license it was printed by the school I laughed asked him to establish grade on a laser he couldn't even understand what I meant sent him on his way Az requires no license to operate except crane certificates but that's insurance not state Here if your in the employ of a licensed contractor then your a journeyman status under them for what that license covers got to love right to work rules I see operator schools doing more damage to potential operators than anything productive terrible habits and bad attitudes they also turn out guys that need there hand held as well as when there is shovel work to make up for there lack of skill they can't do it cause there an operator Schools have young guys buffalo like college you wont make it without our certification and validation who cares if you understand the job but we can teach you about levers
Just did a quick check on the Connecticut license dept website. Only licenses close are for cranes and whatever they consider "hoisting equipment". Guess that is something that lifts but isn't a crane? Local paper always likes to list all the new laws and I never saw anything about a general operator license. One thing for sure is that inthis state if they pass a law to take your money they waste no time getting the program up and running. They are out on vacation now so doubt this is a brand new thing.
Look up Massachusetts hoisting license. Enforced by the Massachusetts Department of Public Safety there is a whole slew of laws and fees and fines outlined for your protection LOL. Same thing in Rhode Island. Mass issues a photo license. Rhode Island does not have your photo on it. They have sworn officers that have dedicated vehicles and badges that can and will with out notice come on your site and request your license and medical card. It is going to be a bad day if you don’t have one.
Last I knew in Mass, owner/operators were exempt from hoisting licence.
That's not just CT! We just had a gas tax rammed down our tanks and now the gov is considering tolling some highways that have never had tolls on them.
Hoisting Machinery. Derricks, cableways, machinery used for discharging cargoes, and temporary elevator cars used on excavation work or used for hoisting building material, when the motive power to operate such machinery is mechanical and other than steam, including but not limited to excavators, backhoes, front end loaders, uniloaders, skid loader, skid steer loaders, compact loaders or similar devices, lattice cranes, derricks, cranes with or without wire rope; all fork lifts, powered industrial lift trucks, overhead hoists (underhung), overhead cranes, underhung cranes, monorail cranes, lifting devices, cableways, powered platforms and any other equipment that has the minimum capability of hoisting the load higher than ten feet, and either the capability of lifting loads greater than 500 pounds or the capacity of the bucket exceeds ¼ cubic yards; overhead bridge cranes, electric or air driven hoists, pendant controlled hoists, specialty equipment as categorized by license grade in 520 CMR 6.00. ....and this... Fork Lift. Any mobile power-propelled truck used to carry, push, pull, lift, stack or tier materials, excluding earth moving, over the road haulage trucks, and equipment which was designed to move earth but has been modified to accept forks. These are the items that need licenses there is a horsepower rating in here too I will try to find it. these are the license's and what they cover and some of violations and possible penalties. The inspectors I have met are professional, decent, sworn to up hold the law people, and they expect you to hold up your end as well. It is a no nonsense deal. The fines and legal action have real teeth both legal and financial particularly if they choose to pull your ticket. 6.10: Classification of Licenses; Qualifications (1) Class 1 - Hoisting. (a) 1A Prerequisites. 1. The applicant shall meet the prerequisites as listed in 520 CMR 6.02; 2. The applicant shall display knowledge of the crane operator ASME hand signals; 3. The applicant must be able to read and comprehend load charts and manufacturer's specifications. (b) 1A Operators May Operate. 1. All friction clutch machines and all derricks (including tower cranes, guy derricks, stiff legs, Chicago booms, gin poles); 2. Lattice boom machinery; 3. All equipment listed in classes 1B,1C, and 1D; (c) 1B Prerequisites. The applicant must meet the prerequisites as listed in 520 CMR 6.02. The applicant shall display knowledge of the crane operator hand signals. The applicant must be able to read and comprehend load charts and manufacturers specifications. (d) 1B Operators May Operate. 1. All equipment having telescoping boom and wire rope; 2. All equipment listed in class 1C and class 1D; 520 CMR: DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY 6.10: continued (e) 1C Prerequisites. 1. The applicant must meet the prerequisites as listed in 520 CMR 6.02; 2. The applicant must be able to read and comprehend load charts and manufacturer's specifications. (f) 1C Operators May Operate. 1. Equipment with hydraulic telescoping booms and any other hydraulic equipment designed for the purpose of hoisting, excluding those with wire rope hoist lines; 2. All equipment listed in class 1D. (g) 1D Prerequisites. The applicant must meet the prerequisites as listed in 520 CMR 6.02. (h) 1D operators may operate general industrial warehouse fork lift equipment primarily used in indoor facilities. (2) Class 2 - Excavating. (a) 2A Prerequisites. 1. The applicant must meet the prerequisites as listed in 520 CMR 6.02; 2. Knowledge of hand signals for controlling crawler/excavator operations (b) 2A Operators May Operate. 1. All crawler and rubber tired excavators and backhoes with manufacturer approved attachments; 2. Equipment listed in classes 2B, 2C, and 2D. (c) 2B Prerequisites. The applicant shall meet the prerequisites as listed in 520 CMR 6.02. (d) 2B Operators May Operate. 1. Combination loader/backhoe machines with manufacturer approved attachments; 2. Equipment listed in Class 2C and class 2D. (e) 2C Prerequisites. The applicant shall meet the prerequisites as listed in 520 CMR 6.02. (f) 2C Operators May Operate. 1. Front end loaders with manufacturer approved attachments; 2. Equipment listed in Class 2D. (g) 2D Prerequisites. The applicant shall meet the prerequisites as listed in 520 CMR 6.02. (h) 2D operators may operate compact hoisting machinery with a gross vehicle weight not exceeding 10,000 pounds, excluding Class 1, Class 3, and Class 4 hoisting machinery as listed in 520 CMR 6.10 with manufacturer approved attachments. (3) Class 3 - Electric and Pneumatic. (a) 3A Operators Prerequisites. 1. The applicant shall meet the prerequisites as listed in 520 CMR 6.02; 2. The applicant shall be able to read and comprehend manufacturer's specifications. (b) 3A Operators May Operate. 1. Overhead gantry cranes; 2. Marine lifts; 3. Jib cranes with no load charts. (4) Class 4 - Specialty. Operators may operate the equipment listed in 520 CMR 6.10(4)(a) through (f): (a) 4B: Drill Rigs; (b) 4C: Pipeline Side booms; (c) 4D: Concrete Pumps; (d) 4E: Catch Basin Cleaner; (e) 4F: Sign Hanging Equipment; (f) 4G: Specialty Side Boom Mower. (5) Municipal - Limited. Operators who are employed by a municipal public works department may operate, solely within the scope of their municipal employment, under a single license equipment under the following restrictions: (a) 1C; (b) 2B; and (c) 4G. 520 CMR: DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY 6.11: Operation of Hoisting Machinery; Accident Reporting (1) Operators of hoisting machinery shall cease operating if ordered by the Department to do so. Conditions which shall warrant immediate cessation of operation may include but not limited to: (a) Serious injury; or (b) Any condition that is necessary for the preservation of the public health or safety as determined by the Inspector. (2) Operators of hoisting machinery shall immediately surrender their hoisting license or temporary permit if ordered by the Department to do so pursuant to M.G.L. c. 146, § 53. (3) Any person found operating hoisting machinery without a license, temporary permit, apprentice license or proper classification of hoisting license according to 520 CMR 6.00 shall immediately cease operating. Said person shall make his identity known to the Department with a valid government-issued form of photographic identification. (4) Notification/Investigation. (a) Notification. Any incident which results in serious injury, property damage, or any condition that is necessary for the preservation of the public health or safety at a site where hoisting machinery is operational shall be reported by the licensee operating the hoisting machinery or owner or owner's representative to the Department through the Department Incident Hotline at (508) 820-1444 within one hour from the time that the incident occurred or was discovered. The hoisting machinery shall not be moved or dismantled from the site of the incident until the Department has investigated the incident and approval is granted by an Inspector. The only exception to this requirement is for preservation of life and property, the removal of injured persons or bodies or to permit the flow of emergency vehicles. The hoisting machinery and area surrounding the hoisting machinery shall not be disturbed, cleaned, or altered in any way that will impede the investigation. The Department shall investigate the incident pursuant to M.G.L. c. 146, §§ 53, 54A and 55. (b) Investigation. In the event that an incident occurs in accordance to the provisions of 520 CMR 6.11(4)(a), the hoisting machinery shall be immediately shut down and secured by the operator until an Inspector has completed an investigation. No person shall move or alter the incident scene or the hoisting machinery, except to remove the victim(s), until the Inspector has completed the investigation and determined that the hoisting machineryis safe. Incidents shall be reported within one hour to the Department through the Department Incident Hotline at (508) 820-1444 and a written report shall be submitted to the Department within 48 hours. The hoisting machinery, operator, and owner of the hoisting machinery shall be accessible to the Department. 6.12: Suspension, Revocation, and Appeals of Licensing, Certification, and Temporary Permitting (1) Where the Commissioner, Chief or any Inspector determines that circumstances indicate the denial or immediate suspension or revocation of a license or temporary permit or company certificate of approval to operate hoisting machinery is necessary for the preservation of the public health or safety, they may deny, revoke or suspend depending on the severity of the offense. Any license covered under 520 CMR 6.00 may be revoked or suspended for the following reasons: (a) False or misleading information on application for examination or license renewal. (b) Operating hoisting machinery under the influence of alcohol or drugs. (c) Failure to pay excise tax or other taxes. (d) Failure to report accidents as required by the Department. (e) Failure to report a serious injury as required by the Department. (f) Operating in an unsafe manner. (g) Failure to comply with any provision of 520 CMR 6.00. (h) Failure to comply with 520 CMR 14.00: Excavation and Trench Safety. (i) Failure to comply with M.G.L. c. 146, §§ 53 through 56. (j) The fraudulent or otherwise improper issuance of temporary permits. (k) The fraudulent or otherwise improper issuance of any company license.
https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2017/10/06/520cmr6.pdf <<< this will probably answer most your questions John.
Oddly enough I have 520 cmr 6 open right now... I will poke around in it and see if I can find a answers... some machines like a grader or small dozer cant raise there implements high enough to be part of the regulation if I understand it right.
Found this... 6.06: Exempt Companies; Exemptions for Licensing Requirements, Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 146, § 53 (1) Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 146, § 53, subsections (e) through (g), the following companies may be exempt from the licensing and permitting requirements of 520 CMR 6.02 and 6.03: (a) Public utility companies; (b) Other companies operating only upon public utility companyproperty or equipment; and (c) Other companies operating equipment exclusively on company property. (2) Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 146, § 53, subsections (e) through (g), for any of the exemptions in 520 CMR 6.06(2) to apply, the requirements as applicable set forth in 520 CMR 6.06(2)(a) through (c) shall be met: (a) A public utility companythat operates self-propelled truck-mounted cranes, derricks and similar hoisting equipment for the maintenance and construction of the company's equipment shall be exempt from the licensing and permitting requirements of 520 CMR 6.02 and 6.03 if the company has: 1. at least one supervisory employee who holds a license issued by the Department pursuant to 520 CMR 6.06(2)(a)1. and who is designated as the responsible person in charge of the hoisting equipment; and 2. a company provides in-service training program for its employees. This exemption shall only apply if the in-service training program for employees has been approved by the Department. The in-service training program may be audited by the Department. The public utility company shall issue a company license to each trained and certified employee. The license shall contain a picture of the licensee, a list of the specific hoisting equipment that the licensee has been qualified to operate and the signature of the supervisory employee who holds a Department license. (b) Any other company that has cranes, derricks and similar hoisting equipment operated only upon public utility company property or equipment shall be exempt from the licensing and permitting requirements of 520 CMR 6.02 and 6.03 if: 520 CMR: DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY 6.06: continued 1. the company has met the requirements set forth in 520 CMR 6.06(2)(a)1. and 2.; 2. the company's employees have obtained a company license from an approved in-service training program of the public utility company for which they are performing work; or 3. the company's employees are working at the direction of the public utility company and performing work associated with service restoration in connection with a weather or other emergency causing damage to property or equipment. The public utility company shall provide written or electronic notification to the Commissioner prior to the commencement of such work. (c) Any other company that operates hoisting equipment specifically limited to industrial lift trucks, forklifts, overhead cranes and other hoisting equipment, specifically authorized by the Department and used exclusively on company property shall be exempt from the licensing and permitting requirements of 520 CMR 6.02 and 6.03 if: 1. the company has met the requirements of 520 CMR 6.06(2)(a)1. and 2., and 2. at least one supervisory employee is on site at all times of operation and the supervisory employee holds a license issued by the Department under 520 CMR 6.06(2)(c) and is designated as the responsible person in charge of hoisting equipment during that period of opera
If you check the link I posted for the school in Mass you will find those courses being offered that say you will obtain all the information needed to obtain a license. They are all four (4) hours long and cost fifty dollars ($50) each. My impression is that it isn't much of a license and that is probably a state sponsored grab at revenue and good feelings because they are looking after the safety of anyone around heavy equipment. I could be indignant about that if I lived there. Next item is that the original poster purported that other states require licensing and I found no other state with any requirements on anything other than crane operation. I find those types of unsupported statements to be the same as the Russian operatives posting fake news that convinced an individual to shoot up a pizza parlor.
In Rhode Island the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training Division of Workforce Regulation and Safety administers the examinations. They are extremely proactive in their enforcement activities. Rhode Island is a fairly tough test no practical but you need to know your job inside and out. They don't require continuing education bi annually but you do have to renew. I took a class here for for the Mass test it was a 8 hour class that along with the application fee for the license and the photo. It was pretty handy, I scored 99 on the test. The RI test I did after some study independently scored a 86. LOL! This news has some very solid sources of which I am one. Alternative facts don't seem to sell well hear either LOL!
Ran into this issue at Home Depot but we resolved it quick …. HeavyEquipmentForums Ya have to instill confidence in the next generation or you will end up with a bunch of 20 something age workers that are afraid to operate a fork lift .
Most states require fork lift training. Washington State also requires fork lift training that includes a test and practical experience. However it can be done within the company and there is no license. When I worked at the Cat dealership there were two employees designated who could give the training and administer the test. I don't know where they got their qualifications as trainers. I got a piece of paper that said I could operate a fork lift from it. It was neither on a state published form nor was there any other name other than the employer. The subject of the thread was excavator licensing and purported that multiple states were requiring it. The post has already stated he was in error with his post. No need to beat this horse to death. It is apparently already dead.
We gave that feller the "quick" version of the fork lift test ….. We are in a hurry sonny , hop on the fork lift . LOL. He did a fine job loading the trailer ! Be surprised what happens when ya tell someone to jump on it an do the job . Job get's done .
Dead, not quite, Injured pride yes.I am human and I make mistakes. I have a detailed list of all the mistakes that I make. It get updated regularly.
That piece of paper was, without a doubt, a C.Y.A form for your employer. So if you accidentally injured or killed yourself or anyone else, they could pull out that piece of paper and say, "He had the proper training, we're not responsible."
I am in homedepot usually a couple times a week getting either the dump trailer on the flatbed loaded with pallets of concrete/block/etc...... and I can tell you that most of people they give 'licenses' to for operation of a lift truck really shouldn't be doing it most do not have any kind of common sense or a real understanding of what they are actually doing!!! they just know that they got trained to move this joystick thisaway to make the forks go thataway... and so on.... they constantly make the same mistakes every day I am lucky enough to get them as a loader and no they won't let me run it to show them how it's done....
I believe here in GA. when laying pipe the excavator operator has to have a certification but it could be just on the ditching itself not the operation.
Well since you would be 'hoisting' the pipe into the trench.... hard to say I know with firelines we can do the trench but fireline guys have to do the pipe connections etc... doesn't look any different than the water lines we run but they're 'special' and they can charge more!!!
Hopefully the licenses we carry here for Massachusetts and Rhode Island will never even find you guy's!
It appears there is a utility foreman, utility manager and utility contractor license in GA. https://sos.ga.gov/index.php/licensing/plb/56/faq Here in AL the companies are licensed, there are no individual licenses other than plumbing for site utilities that I am aware of. Interesting, we run underground fire mains all the time, actually have a nice little project coming up with a vault, 700' of 6" DIP and a FH. Fire water is considered "non-potable" and does not fall under the state plumbing code. The fire sprinkler codes starts from the lead in above FF so just the overhead is governed by the sprinkler code. Clear as mud? Now we can run a 6" sanitary sewer lateral for a building if it's designed and stamped by a civil. If that same line is 4" stamped by a civil we can't run it without a master plumber laying the pipe - gotta love government..
We did(well helped) a fire line for chief sealth high school in west seattle 6-7 years ago it was fine as long as the fire line company guys did the actual pipe work, we did all the excavating, backfill and thrust blocks.etc.... we can run any kind of potable water line outside the buildings around here... some cities require a permit($$$) but that's pretty simple just pay em' the extortion fee and you're done sewer lines same thing more or less just put in a 6 inch a couple months ago up north and they barely looked at it checked the 10 foot head test and called it good